Rotary File for 10/14/14

Today's program features "What Jazzes You Up" with Casey Cook interviewing new AM Rotary members, Jean Knepper and Ann Romanowski.

President Mark opened the meeting with a new tradition thanks to North Scott, where we sing and then greet each other and then sing again.

Mark’s joke of the week: A minister told his congregation the next week he would speak about the sin of lying. He asked the congregation to read Mark 17. The next week when he asked who had read Mark 17 every hand went up. The problem is Mark only has 16 chapters. The minister said, “ I will now proceed with my sermon about lying”.

Rotarians in the News

Randy—Dave Parsons wrote a piece for the paper on voting and listening to political commercials. Deb Dunkhase was featured in a major way in the news because the Children’s Museum will be celebrating 15 years.

Where in the World

Jean Bartley talked about Where in the World is Italy. Everyone knows but it is in the shape of a boot and it is a peninsula surrounded by the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea. Over 61 million people live in Italy. The country has a 98% literacy rate and an 82 year life expectancy. Officially it is known as the Italian Republic and has a parliamentary system of government. Increasing in popularity is the Euro-skeptic Party that wants to get rid of the Euro. A dedication to living life well is part of the Italian culture. Italy’s largest industries are tourism, autos, music, clothes and food preparation. Rome is its largest city. The smallest country in Europe is Vatican City which is completely surrounded by the City of Rome. Other big cities in Italy include Venice and Milan.

Rotary in Italy: The first Rotary Club was founded in Milan in 1923 and in 1924 others were added in Rome, Naples, Turin and several other cties. Today there are 10 districts in Italy and 732 clubs. In 1938 RI issued a directive to clubs in Italy to cease all activity because of the Spanish Civil War because Rotary could not control membership sectarianism pro or against. Then WW II started so 1939 to 1946 there were no active Rotary Clubs in Italy. In 1944 Sicily was freed from Nazi occupation and Messina reopened a club and 1946 Milan also reconstituted its club.

Announcements

The Grants Workshop in West Liberty with 6 or 7 going on Oct. 16th. The Board meets Oct 23rd. A tour of the UIHC Museum in honor of World Polio Day and refreshments will be served on Oct. 24 from 5:30 to 6:30. Come to the 8th floor using elevator F. Families and all area Rotarians are invited.

Casey Cook will chair a Grants Committee to discuss possible grant awards using the Johnson County Community Foundation list. Nov 8 the District Foundation Dinner will be held at the Holiday Inn in Coralville. Registration is at the District website for $50 for each dinner. Xicotepec March 14 trip—applications are online at the Xicotepec site. Deb Dunkhase is signed up to go to Xicotepec.

Brian Adamec announced the nut sale is winding down and the goal to raise enough for 4 for RYLA scholarships. We are close to 3 right now. We owe special thanks to Liz Loeb who has been around the world getting orders. Last orders should go to Brian by next week.

Nancy Stensvaag announced the director of the Crisis Center Foodbank has set up a survey for members of the community to fill out concerning how homelessness is perceived by members of the community. Use the announcement at each table to go to the website shown and fill out your candid response.

Greg Probst reported that he doesn’t hear much from Erin which is generally a good thing, but when he does she seems to be doing well. She was the equivalent of homecoming queen in Chili. The Probsts got to enjoy pictures of Erin’s homecoming experience on her Facebook page.

Chris Ockenfels: Coats update—they are trying to put in a last order October 15 with over 8000 coats. Only the order from a district in Chicago is higher where they ordered 10000.

Program

The program on Oct 14 was Casey Cook with What Jazzes You Up. Jean Knepper was called forward to answer a few questions. What is the best advice Jean has ever gotten? The best advice was from her mother who said never take yourself too seriously. Jean had 9 siblings so this was good advice. If Jean had to write her obituary and talk about what she was most proud of it would be putting herself through college and raising 3 kids and also giving back to our wonderful community. What jazzes her up and what is she passionate about? She loves sports and getting together with her family. They have fun together and don’t take themselves too seriously. What are the important elements of a great service club? They have fun and that is what impresses her about this club. Where did Jean grow up? Originally she is from Baraboo WI and then moved to Davenport with her family and then Iowa City to go to school. Several had questions for Jean. What have her experiences been with Regina experience? Jean believes it takes a village to raise a kid and Regina is definitely a village. That is why she is glad her kids went there. Where did she place in family order? Jean was 2nd oldest. She helped raise her siblings. She works at UICCU and this has been a great experience for her. She is Community Relations Director. She does many partnerships within the community and she now has expanded to other communities which is her biggest challenge right now. She still has a love for Wisconsin teams. Go Packers!

Ann Romanowski also talked about what jazzes her up. What has Ann tried to make it a point not to do? Ann demurred at that question as “It is kind of private”. What do all her friends know and appreciate about her? Ann played boys’ baseball and she really loves it. She played on the boys team (2nd base) throughout college on a Sunday intramural team. She especially liked that she was the only girl on the team and got lots of attention. She met her husband through playing baseball and they went to the batting cages on the first date. He played for a junior college team. He fell in love with her right there and asked her to marry him in the batting cages on the first date. And it took her 4 years to say yes. He was just starting business in Moline and she wanted to make sure he could make a go of it before getting married. In the meantime she finished college, got a master’s degree in nutrition and then decided to go to dental school where she eventually specialized in periodontics because she enjoyed that more than doing fillings in general dentistry. The Rominowski family has been huge supporters of Regina. When her kids enrolled at Regina they started being involved in the athletics and the program was not where it needed to be. They did a lot of projects and fundraising around Regina athletics. You lose what is your potential in life without being physically fit. The Romanowskis helped raise a lot of money for the athletic fields at Regina over 10 years and it was the challenge of her life. Now 98% of the kids at Regina are active in athletics at Regina.